Alice Cary, GORP's Family Expert, began camping when she was a kid. Today, she and her husband, Jim (shown at right), take a crew of little campers — 6-year-old Will and 16-month-old twins Martha and Cary, whenever they go.

What follows is Alice's"Pack-It-Up, Stuff-It-In, Zip-It-Tight, Throw-It-In-Your-Vehicle Camping List":

Shelter and Sleeping
Ground Cloth Tent(s) Sleeping Pads for everyone Portable chairs and stools		Sleeping bag, down or synthetic, rated to 450 Pillows Screen house (optional)

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The Camp Kitchen
Stove (be sure to test it each time before you go) Stove fuel Charcoal and lighter fuel, if grilling Firewood and kindling, if allowed Matches Cooking pots and pans Water bladder (for keeping water at your site) Utensil set (including spoons, knives, forks, plus cooking utensils, such as serving spoons, knives, spatulas) Can opener		Mess kits for everyone (plates, cups, bowls), or paper plates, etc. Cooler or coolers Ice for cooler Dish detergent Dish towels Sponge Plastic basin for washing dishes Paper towels Napkins Tablecloth Trash bags Foil Plastic wrap Zipper-lock bags Hot pads Citronella candle

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Food Items
Snacks Fruit Peanut Butter and bread (very quick and handy if your kids like it) Butter Cooking oil Condiments Beverages, such as juice boxes, milk Breakfast food		Lunch food Dinner Coffee Tea Hot Chocolate Milk and Sugar if needed Desserts Marshmallows Graham crackers and Hershey bars (if you want to make s'mores)

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Handy Campsite Tools
Rope or twine Clothes pins Duct tape Lightweight hand saw Hammer		Swiss Army Knife Screwdriver or multi-tool Small, hand-held broom (for sweeping out the tent).

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Light Sources
Lantern (at least one per tent makes camping much more enjoyable)		Flashlights for all Headlamps

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Toiletries
Bath towels and washcloths Soap in plastic container Antibacterial hand soap (the kind that doesn't require water, very handy) Shampoo Quarters for pay showers Toothbrushes Toothpaste Deodorant Dental floss		Razor Toilet paper and trowel (in case there's no bathroom) Combs Brush Lip balm Baby wipes (very handy for campsite cleanup) Small hand mirror Or get a pre-assembled traveler's toiletry kit

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Family Medical Kit
pre-assembled medical kit, or pack the following: Bandages Hydrogen peroxide Benadryl Antibiotic ointment Burn ointment Thermometer Bug repellent		Needed prescriptions Fever reducer appropriate for various ages in your family Tweezers (good for removing splinters and ticks) Moleskin Sunscreen

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Clothing For All
Extra shoes Extra socks Sports sandals Pants or sweat pants Shorts Underwear Long underwear (synthetic) Pajamas		Shirts and tee shirts Sweatshirt Jacket Rain jacket Sun hats Sunglasses Warm hats Mittens or gloves

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Play Equipment
Swim Towels Bathing suits Water shoes, if needed Hiking boots or shoes Daypacks Water bottles		Camera and film Video camera Reading material for all PFDs for boating Guidebooks and maps Camping reservation info

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Kid Stuff
Outdoor toy or two, such as a bug catcher, ball, etc. Special blankets or stuffed animals necessary for a peaceful night whistle, one per child		Toys, board games, Legos, or deck of cards Book for two for bedtime reading Kites Water toys or floats child's potty

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Baby Gear
Diapers Wipes Changing pad Port-a-crib Bug netting for crib and stroller Baby blankets Portable High Chair or Sassy Seat (the latter is esp. good for picnic tables)		Bibs Formula Bottles Baby spoon Baby bowl Baby food Stroller or baby jogger Backpack-style child carrier or front carrier for infants

Make Camp Life Easier Camp for at least two nights, if possible. There's a lot of work involved in packing, and setting up and breaking down camp. The longer you camp, the more enjoyment you'll get out of your efforts. Organize, organize, organize. Store all of your gear together, if possible, so you can haul it all out at once. Store small items together in plastic, lidded, tubs. Store them in organized fashion, such as all your cooking gear in one tub, camp tools in another, etc. Put together a small container of eating and cooking utensils. Buy some things, such as dish towels, small dish detergent, spatula, cooking knife, etc., and reserve them only for camping. That way you don't have to pack them up each time you want to go; instead, they're waiting for you with your camp supplies. Camp with another family. If you forget something, maybe they'll have what you need!